Coal India marks 50th Foundation Day
The Coal India Limited (CIL) on Monday marked its 50th Foundation Day at its headquarters in Kolkata.
World’s third oldest and Asia’s oldest football tournament, the Durand Cup will soon be held in Kolkata for four weeks, scheduled between 05 September to 03 October 2021, with matches at various venues in and around Kolkata.
Sixteen participating teams from across the country, including four teams from the defence services, are set to bring out the competitive and true sportsman spirit to win these coveted trophies.
The trophy was named after Mortimer Durand, a foreign secretary in charge of India when the prestigious tournament was first held in 1888, at Dagshai Himachal Pradesh.
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The tournament that began as an Army Cup was a conscious way to maintain health and fitness initially among the British troops but later was opened to civilians and currently is one of the leading sports events.
RoyalScouts Fusiliers won the inaugural edition of the Durand Cup way back in 1888. Mohammedan Sporting Club was the first Indian club to win the cup in 1940 when the tournament shifted to Delhi. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are the most successful teams in the history of the Durand cup winning it on sixteen occasions each.
The winning team is presented with three trophies i.e.The Presiden’s Cup (first presented by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the Durand Cup (the original challenge prize, which is a rolling trophy) and the Shimla Trophy (first presented by citizens of Shimla in 1903 and since 1965, a rolling trophy).
The defence spokesperson has shared that under the patronage of the Chief of Defence Staff and the three chiefs of Army, Navy and Airforce and with support of the West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee, the 130th Edition of the tournament is being organised at Kolkata.
The Government of West Bengal, AIFF (All India Football Federation) and IAF (West Bengal) are extending extensive support to make the tournament a success.
The tournament was shifted from its homeland Delhi to Kolkata, the ‘Mecca of Football’, in 2019.
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